diff --git a/channeldb/channel.go b/channeldb/channel.go
index 803f7992..f51c737b 100644
--- a/channeldb/channel.go
+++ b/channeldb/channel.go
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ type OpenChannel struct {
 	// The outpoint of the final funding transaction.
 	// ChanType denotes which type of channel this is.
 	ChanType ChannelType
+
+	// IsInitiator is a bool which indicates if we were the original
+	// initiator for the channel. This value may affect how higher levels
+	// negotiate fees, or close the channel.
+	IsInitiator bool
 	FundingOutpoint *wire.OutPoint
 
 	OurMultiSigKey       *btcec.PublicKey
@@ -1134,6 +1139,16 @@ func putChanFundingInfo(nodeChanBucket *bolt.Bucket, channel *OpenChannel) error
 		return err
 	}
 
+	var boolByte [1]byte
+	if channel.IsInitiator {
+		boolByte[0] = 1
+	} else {
+		boolByte[0] = 0
+	}
+	if _, err := b.Write(boolByte[:]); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if _, err := b.Write([]byte{uint8(channel.ChanType)}); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1195,6 +1210,16 @@ func fetchChanFundingInfo(nodeChanBucket *bolt.Bucket, channel *OpenChannel) err
 	unixSecs := byteOrder.Uint64(scratch)
 	channel.CreationTime = time.Unix(int64(unixSecs), 0)
 
+	var boolByte [1]byte
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(infoBytes, boolByte[:]); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if boolByte[0] == 1 {
+		channel.IsInitiator = true
+	} else {
+		channel.IsInitiator = false
+	}
+
 	var chanType [1]byte
 	if _, err := io.ReadFull(infoBytes, chanType[:]); err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/channeldb/channel_test.go b/channeldb/channel_test.go
index b1238632..ce3a2e64 100644
--- a/channeldb/channel_test.go
+++ b/channeldb/channel_test.go
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ func createTestChannelState(cdb *DB) (*OpenChannel, error) {
 	}
 
 	return &OpenChannel{
+		IsInitiator:                true,
 		ChanType:                   SingleFunder,
 		IdentityPub:                pubKey,
 		ChanID:                     id,
@@ -207,17 +208,20 @@ func TestOpenChannelPutGetDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	if state.MinFeePerKb != newState.MinFeePerKb {
 		t.Fatalf("fee/kb doens't match")
+	if state.IsInitiator != newState.IsInitiator {
+		t.Fatalf("initiator status doesn't match")
+	}
 	if state.ChanType != newState.ChanType {
 		t.Fatalf("channel type doesn't match")
 	}
 
 	if !bytes.Equal(state.OurCommitKey.SerializeCompressed(),
 		newState.OurCommitKey.SerializeCompressed()) {
-		t.Fatalf("our commit key dont't match")
+		t.Fatalf("our commit key doesn't match")
 	}
 	if !bytes.Equal(state.TheirCommitKey.SerializeCompressed(),
 		newState.TheirCommitKey.SerializeCompressed()) {
-		t.Fatalf("their commit key dont't match")
+		t.Fatalf("their commit key doesn't match")
 	}
 
 	if state.Capacity != newState.Capacity {
@@ -343,7 +347,7 @@ func TestOpenChannelPutGetDelete(t *testing.T) {
 func TestChannelStateTransition(t *testing.T) {
 	cdb, cleanUp, err := makeTestDB()
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("uanble to make test database: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("unable to make test database: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer cleanUp()